Leanne Cunningham
About Leanne Cunningham
Leanne Cunningham serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Brown-Forman, a position she has held since 2021. She has extensive experience in finance and corporate strategy, having worked at Brown-Forman since 1995 and co-founding employee resource groups to support diversity and inclusion within the organization.
Work at Brown-Forman
Leanne Cunningham serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Brown-Forman, a position she has held since 2021. In this role, she leads a global team that encompasses various business areas, including accounting, corporate development and strategy, shareholder relations, operations finance, and financial planning. Cunningham has been with Brown-Forman since 1995 and has held multiple roles across finance, global supply chain, business development, and corporate strategy. Prior to her current position, she worked as Senior Vice President for Shareholder Relations Officer, Commercial Finance, and FP&A from 2020 to 2021, and as Senior Vice President for Shareholder Relations Officer from 2019 to 2020.
Board Membership at Acushnet Company
In addition to her role at Brown-Forman, Leanne Cunningham has been a Board Member at Acushnet Company since 2023. This position allows her to contribute her extensive experience in finance and corporate strategy to the board's decision-making processes.
Education and Expertise
Leanne Cunningham holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Indianapolis, where she studied from 1988 to 1992. She furthered her education by obtaining an Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA) from Washington University in St. Louis, completing her studies in 2014. Her educational background supports her extensive expertise in finance and corporate strategy.
Employee Resource Groups Initiatives
Cunningham co-founded GROW, an employee resource group at Brown-Forman aimed at supporting women in achieving their potential within the organization. Additionally, she serves as the executive sponsor of EAST, another employee resource group dedicated to supporting employees of Asian heritage. She has also contributed to the development of internal diversity and inclusion strategic plans that focus on improving the Black female experience and advancing women in leadership at Brown-Forman.
Previous Work Experience
Before joining Brown-Forman, Leanne Cunningham worked as a Controller at GM Construction from 1993 to 1994. Her career at Brown-Forman began in 1995, where she has since held various significant roles that have shaped her professional journey in finance and corporate strategy.